| A-a O2 | alveolo-arterial oxygen tension |
|---|---|
| AaPO2, (A-a) PO2 | alveolo-arterial oxygen tension difference |
| AJDO2 | arteriojugular venous oxygen content difference |
| AOD | Academy of Operative Dentistry; Academy of Oral Dynamics; adult onset diabetes; anesthesiologist-on-... |
| AOU | apparent oxygen utilization |
| collapse therapy | Surgical treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis whereby the lung is totally or partially, temporarily or permanently, immobilised. The procedure was based on the popular concept that collapsing the affected portion of a tuberculous lung allowed the infected area to rest and thereby recover. at the beginning of the 20th century artificially induced pneumothorax (pneumothorax, artificial) was popular. Later a variety of other techniques was used to encourage collapse of the infected portion of the lung: unilateral phrenic nerve division, pneumonolysis, pneumoperitoneum (pneumoperitoneum, artificial), and thoracoplasty. Collapse therapy has declined since the advent of antitubercular chemotherapy. (12 Dec 1998) |
|---|---|
| colour therapy | A form of phototherapy using colour to influence health and to treat various physical or mental disorders. The colour rays may be in the visible or invisible spectrum and can be administered through coloured lights or applied mentally through suggestion. (12 Dec 1998) |
| combined modality therapy | <oncology> Two or more types of treatments used to supplement each other. For instance, surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormonal or immunotherapy may be used alternatively or together for maximum effectiveness. (09 Oct 1997) |
| motion therapy, continuous passive | Movement of a body part initiated and maintained by a mechanical or electrical device to restore normal range of motion to joints, muscles, or tendons after surgery, prosthesis implantation, contracture flexion, or long immobilization. (12 Dec 1998) |
| plasma therapy | Treatment with plasma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| mud therapy | The therapeutic use of mud in packs or baths. It includes mud, earth, clay, and peat. The original mud was fango, a volcanic mud from the battaglia thermal springs in italy, applied externally in the treatment of rheumatism and other diseases of the joints and muscles. (12 Dec 1998) |
| play therapy | A treatment technique utilizing play as a medium for expression and communication between patient and therapist. (12 Dec 1998) |
| conditioning therapy | The application of modern theories of learning and conditioning in the treatment of behaviour disorders. (12 Dec 1998) |
| conjoint therapy | A type of therapy in which a therapist sees the two spouses, or parent and child, or other partners together in joint sessions. (05 Mar 2000) |
| convulsive therapy | The use of convulsive agents to influence favourably the course of a mental disorder. It is used primarily in the treatment of severe affective disorders and schizophrenia. (12 Dec 1998) |
| music therapy | <psychiatry> A form of distraction that uses music as an aid to relaxation. (16 Dec 1997) |
| myofunctional therapy | Therapy of malocclusion and other dental and speech disorders utilizing muscular exercises of the tongue and lips; most often intended to alter a tongue thrust swallowing pattern. (05 Mar 2000) |
| couples therapy | Psychotherapy used specifically for unmarried couples, of mixed or same sex. (12 Dec 1998) |
| postremission therapy | Chemotherapy to kill leukaemia cells that survive after remission induction therapy. (12 Dec 1998) |
| cytoreductive therapy | Therapy with the intention of reducing the number of cells in a lesion, usually a malignancy. (05 Mar 2000) |